Parachute and parachute pack



April 20, 1943. SMITH 2,316,895

PARACHUTE AND PARACHUTE PACK 7 Filed Sept. 6, 1959 INVENTOR FLOYD SM/Th.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1943 2ABACHUTE-AND PABAQHUTE PACK Floyd Smith, Manchester, Conn., asslgnor to I Pioneer Parachute Company, Inc., Manchater, Count, a corporation of Connecticut Application September 6, 1939, Serial No. 293,542

'22 Claims. (01. 244-148) My invention relates to parachutes and parachute packs and particularly to constructions which insure rapid opening of a parachute pack and prevent or reduce faulty opening of the pilot chute or main canopy of a parachute.

In order to cause the canopy of a parachute to be drawn out from the pack in which it is folded before use, it is usual to provide a pilot chute in the form of a small parachute attached to the peak of the main canopy and arranged to be exposed immediately on opening the pack. The pilot chute is thus quickly caught by the air currents and retarded .while the user carry,- ing the pack continues to fall causing the folds of the main canopy to be drawn out 'to a position in which they in turn will becaught by the air currents so, that the parachute will open.

The pilot chutes most commonly used heretofore have had a wire frame provided with ribs, similar to those of an umbrella, and spring means which urge the ribs outward to positions in which they extend radially from the peak of the pilot chute canopy. In order to enclose the pilot chute within the pack it is collapsed, just as an umbrella is folded, against the action oi the spring means and isplaced upon the top of the folds of the main canopy. Thereafter the flaps of the pack which enclose the main canopy and pilot chute are folded over and held inplace by means releasable by a "rip cord." Heavy rubber bands are attached to the pack flaps and placed under tension in folding the pack so that on release the bands draw the ilaps open quickly to expose the pilot chute and main canopy.

This type of pilot chute does not always operate satisfactorily ior the reason that the ribs of the frame sometimes puncturethe main canopy or become tangled in or covered by the folds therehf. In such cases the pilot chute may not open at all or it may prevent or retard opening of the main canopy. If the frame is bent after the pack is folded'or during the packing operatlons the movable parts may jam so that the pilot chute will fail to open or will open only slowly. Moreover when the pack flaps are released and the pilot chute frame springs open from its collapsed position the ribs in opening out radially throw the pilot chute outward in a- "somersault fashion. of the pilot chute frequently causes the shroud lines of the pilot chute to become tangled with the frame and to extend over the pilot chute canopy or to be so tangled with the folds of the main canopy of the parachute as to delay openins thereof. a i

' Those pilot chutes of the prior art which have no frame and no meansto hold or force the canopy thereof open'are unsatisfactory because they are slow to open and often are blanketed from the air currents by the main canopy as it falls from the opened pack.

In other prior constructions the pilot chute has served as the cover of the parachute pack and has been caused to spring outward from the pack upon the release thereon However such pilot chutes have nemssarily been formed of parachute pack have license-heavy that they I function very poorly. v

In order to overcome these objections to constructions oi the prior art I have invented a new type of pilot chute which is adapted to be enclosed within a'parachute pack but which is maintained at all times with at least a portion of its canopy extended to. be caught by air currents and drawn away from the user as soon as the pacls is opened. Furthermore, the frame of the pilot chute is so formed that there are no.

sharp ribs or parts to puncture or become entangled in the main canopy while the form and This somcrsaulting will emerge in substantially a straight line or at least without such a somersault action as to cause the shroud lines thereof to extend over its canopy or become fouled with the frame or taxigled with each other.

One of the objects of my invention is to eliminate or reduce the danger of fouling ofthe shroud lines of a pilot chute.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel type of pilot chute adapted to be enclosed within a parachute pack while having a portion of the canopythereof always maintained in an extended position.

Another object of my invention is to insure rapid and eiiective separation of a pilot chute from a parachute pack. Y Another object oi my invention is toprovide a collapsed pilot chute when fully. opened.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the form of frame embodied in the parachute in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective on an enlarged scale showing a portion of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a partially closed parachute pack with a pilot chute of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 contained therein.

In that form of my invention illustrated in the drawing the pilot chute has a canopy 2 provided with a stiff rectangular frame 4 which serves to maintain the central portion 6 of the canopy continuously extended. Foldable wings 8 project from the sides III of the frame and are adapted to be foldedup'ward and inward onto the top of the portion 6 of the canopy so that-they will lie in the position indicated in Fig. 2. Other foldable wings I2 project from theends ll of the frame 4 and are adapted to be folded down and inward. so as to lie beneath the portion 6 of the canopy when the pilot chute is folded.

The foldable wings 8 and I2 are urged outward to the positions indicated in Fig. 1 by suitable means such as springs it which are coiled about the frame 4 and have the ends of the wing frames secured thereto by coupling members It or the like. The frame is secured to the fabric of the canopy by tape or other fastening means which preferably cover the frame completely so that none of its parts are exposed to engage the main canopy of the parachute or the folds of the pilot chute.

The tape 20 is secured to the fabric of the canopy by stitching along its edges as shown in Fig. 3. By covering the entire frame and the frame elements of the foldable wings as well as the springs which urge the wings toward their extended positions the metal members are firmly held in place with respect to the canopy and the tape serves to reinforce the frame and to resist against distortion or bending of the frame so that relatively thin light weight parts may be used.

In enclosing the pilot chute in a parachute pack the wings 8 are folded inward and over the center portion 6 of the canopy as shown in Fig. 4 while the wings l2 are folded inward beneath the frame and center portion of the pilot chute canopy. Thereafter thepilot chute is placed on' of the folded main parachute canopy 22 the pack are folded over the and secured in place. When the parachute isused the flaps 24 of the pack are released by the usual "rip cord." When elastic bands 25 are used these draw the flaps away from the pilot chute and main canopy so the top and the flaps 24 of that they may be exposed to the air currents 70- quickly. These elastic bands are secured on the outsideof'the cover' as is well known in the prior art. This opening of the pack is facilitated by the upper wings 8 which open outward under the action o'fthe springs I6 desired the springs I 5 may be relied upon entirely to throw open the pack flaps so that even if no elastic bands are used or if they are weak, broken or disconnected from the pack flaps the flaps will be thrown open to discharge the parachute.

,The lower inwardly turned wings l2 oi the pilot chute operate independently of the wings 8 and serve to project the pilot chute from the quickly from the pack into a position in which it will open readily and properly. Since the wings i2 act simultaneously and are located at opposite endsof the frame the pilot chute emerges outward from the pack in substantially a straight line or at least without any such somersault motion that fouling of the shroud lines 26 over the canopy is likely to occur.

The action of the pilot chute in drawing out the main canopy of the parachute is assured under all conditions ofoperation by reason of the large area of the pilot chute canopy continuously maintained in an extended position. Thus when exposed to the air stream the pilot chute will in all cases be retarded so asto act as an "'air anchor even though 'the foldable wings should fail to open or are omitted from the construction altogether.

The rectangular shape of the frame 4 illustrated is such as to provide a relatively strong top for the folded main canopy and one which can be forced down bodily thusrendering packing of the parachute much easier than heretofore and serving to strengthen the pack and protect the folded parachute therein. However, the shape of the frame may be varied considerably to conform to-the shape of any desired pack'or to improve the functioning of the pilot chute or main canopy. Furthermore while the use of both the side wings 8 and the end wings I2 is preferred either or both sets of wings may be omitted or either or both sets may be folded over on top of the frame and the center portion 6 of the pilot chute canopy or may be folded inward beneath the frame and canopy as desired. Any number, size and shape of foldable wings may be used and the means employed to actuate the same are capable of innumerable modifications. .Further= more, the manner of attaching the pilot chute to the main canopy and the form and shape of the pilot chute canopy may be varied as desired. In view thereof it should .be understood that the particular form of my invention shown inthe drawing and described above is intended to be illustrative of my invention and isnot intended to limit the scope thereof.

as shown'in Fig. 4, and if I claim:

. 1. A parachute pack comprising a main parachute,.a pilot chute connected to said main parachute and having a frame of substantially the same size and shape as the outline of the pack and serving to maintain a portion of the canopy of the pilot chute extended at' all times and a flexible enclosure for said main parachute and pilot chute, said enclosure having a part thereof movable to release the pilot chute and main parachute, said main parachute and pilot chute being arranged within said. enclosure with the extended portion of said pilot chute on top of 'the folds Ofthe'main parachute and'adjacent' the movable part of said enclosure and with said frame extending about the edges or the pack within the enclosure to preserve the shape of the pack.

4 a 5 2,816,895 tion ofthe canopy extended at all times, springs coiledabout said frame at the corners thereof, and additional frame elements extending substantially the, full length of each side of the sitionaoverlapping the central portion of the canopy.

14-. A pilot chute embodying a rectangular frame together with two arcuate frame elements one ofwhichris pivotally connected at both ends to a--diiferent one of 'two opposite edges of the rectangular frame. v

152 1- pilot chute embodying a rectangular irame' together with" four arcuate frame elements eachwof which is pivotaliy connected at both ends tom diflerentedge of the rectangulanframe.

16,11- pilot chute embodying a rectangular framev together with arcuate frame elements each of which-is pivotally connected at both ends to a. diflerentone of two opposite edges of the rectangular frame with the ends of said elements located adjacent the corners of the frame.

17. 1 pi-lot chute comprising a rectangular frame together with four arcuate frame elements eaclrwf-which is pivotally connected to a differentzedgea of the rectangular frame, and spring means connected to adjacent frame elements for urging. them toward extended positions.

- 18. vA pilot, chute embodying, a rectangular frame with arcuate frame elements pi otaliy connected-to each edge of-th'e frame and springs coi-led'about said frame and having the opposite ends." thereof connected to adjacent arcuate frame elements to urge them in opposite directions toward extended positions.

- sitions.

frame with a supplemental frame element pivotally connected to each edge thereof and spring means connected to said supplemental frame elements for urging them to extended positions, said spring means serving to swing one frame element upward from a plane including said rectangular frame and about the edge to which it is connected and to swing an adjacent frame element from said plane and downward about the edge to which it is connected.

20. A pilot chute comprising a rectangular frame with a frame element'pivotally connected to each edge thereof and oppositely directed spring means carried by saidframe and connected toladjacent frame elements for urging adjacent elements in opposite directions from a plane including the rectangular frame and about the edges to which they ar connected to extendedpositions.

21. A pilot chute comprising a rectangular frame with a frame element pivotally connected to each edge thereof and a coil spring having the opposite ends thereof connected to adjacent frame elements for urging said elements in opposite directions; g

22. A pilot chute comprising a rectangular frame with a supplemental frame element pivotally connected to each edge thereof, and spring means connected to said supplemental frame elements for swinging the frame elements adjacent opposite edges of the frame upward from a plane including said rectangular frame and to an extended position and for swinging the frame elements adjacent the other edges of the frame downward from said plane and to extended po- FLOYD SMITH;

19. A pilot chute comprising a rectangular 

